


Lucky You're My Ducky

by CasualOtaku



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Animated Series, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Falling In Love, Flash Fic, Fluff, JayTim Week, JayTim Week 2020, Jaytim - Freeform, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-20
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-29 02:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30149244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasualOtaku/pseuds/CasualOtaku
Summary: Tim needs a gentle way to get rid of a persistent admirer.  Jason just so happens to make a good distraction.Written for JayTimWeek 2021
Relationships: Tim Drake & Jason Todd, Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Comments: 17
Kudos: 170
Collections: JayTim Week 2021





	Lucky You're My Ducky

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to fire&phoenix for the beta. And Monsterlover for helping me choose Tim's ringtone.
> 
> DAY SIX - FAKE DATING OR CASEFIC

“Hi there! My name is Timothy Drake. I know this might seem a bit forward, but I’ve seen you here before and well...would you like to go on a date with me?”   
  
Jason blinked and stared at Tim like he’d grown a second head. Why was the baby bird acting like they didn’t know each other? Had he been hit with some kind of drug? Was he silently asking for help? Had he actually grown a second head that was hidden under his clothes and controlling his every move like some demented sort of puppet master? 

Honestly none of that would be all that unusual given some of the things they’d seen together as vigilantes, but still--!   
  
“Come again?”   
  
“Would you like to go on a date with me?” Tim said again, and even though it was technically a question, delivered in a somewhat congenial tone, Jason could sense the command behind it.   
  
“Uhh...sure?” Jason replied   
  
“Wonderful! So--what’s your name?” Tim said as his eyes softened a bit in thanks.   
  
Jason wasn’t sure just what the hell was going on here. He just wanted to get some decent  _ jamón ibérico _ for dinner damnit! “It’s...Ja-”   
  
Tim’s gaze sharpened and slid to one side as some bottled blonde heiress pretended NOT to look at them. Being watched then, don’t use your actual name, got it.   
  
“James. James Romero.” Jason said before smiling. “It’s nice to meet you Tim. Can I call you Tim?”   
  
“Of course!” Tim said with a small laugh. “So how do you feel about seafood? I hear Café Kline has an amazing sea bass.”   
  
Jason tilted his head. “I’m actually more into Spanish food.”    
  
“Manchego’s then?” Tim suggested as his smile grew the tiniest bit tight.   
  
“Sure.” Jason said with a grin. “I hear their paella is to die for.”   
  
“Perfect! Would you like to meet there this Friday? Say around 8pm?”   
  
“Make it 9. I keep odd hours.” Jason said as his grin grew sharper.   
  
“Alright. Nine it is.” Tim said as his eye twitched ever so slightly.   
  
“I look forward to it Tim.” Jason said with a smile. “But for now I need to get home. It’s my turn to make dinner tonight and I don’t want to keep my roommate waiting.”   
  
“Of course. Of course.” Tim said. “I’ll see you this Friday.”   
  
“Definitely. Don’t stand me up now.” Jason said.   
  
“I would never.” Tim replied.   
  
“Good. See you then, Timmers.” Jason said before he strolled away, making a point to pass the blonde for a slightly better look.   
  
She gave him a tight smile as he rolled by, seemingly unaware of the stress she was putting on the poor avocado in her hand. Jason returned it with a congenial smile of his own. He wasn’t sure why Tim resorted to asking him out instead of facing her down, but he couldn’t help but rub it in a little. He had a feeling Tim wouldn’t mind.   
  
“Lucky me. I just scored a date with a total hottie and I didn’t even have to try.” he gushed to her before moving on. “I can hardly wait for our date.”   
  
Jason pretended not to notice the squish and the subsequent squawk of surprise when she finally squeezed too hard and the avocado all but exploded in her hand. Sometimes it was the little things in life that really made one smile.

\---

“I cannot believe you’re actually making me do this.” Tim groused..   
  
“Gasp! Are you actually thinking of standing me up after you promised not to?” Jason asked, pressing a hand to his chest as he glanced at his cellphone. “You cad!”   
  
“Did you literally just say ‘gasp’?” Tim asked.   
  
“I wanted to drive the point home.” Jason said as he turned back to his mirror and finished buttoning up his shirt. The dark crimson silk really wasn’t his style, but Machego’s was an upscale place and he didn’t want to  _ totally _ humiliate the replacement. “Now are you going to be there or not? Because I’m playing my part with or without you.”   
  
“I’ll be there.” Tim muttered.    
  
“Of course you will.” Jason said. “You wouldn’t want to take the chance that Anneliese won’t show up just to make sure you were serious when you told her I had your eye on someone else.”   
  
“I thought she’d let it go once I asked you out!” Tim almost wailed. “I swear she’s starting to veer into stalker territory.”   
  
“Well then. We’ll just have to convince her you’ve charmed the pants off this humble little Spanish tutor and dive into a whirlwind romance until she backs off.” Jason said. “Now off with you. You’ll need time to get through traffic if you don’t want to be late. James isn’t into tardiness and you wouldn’t want to tarnish your good name.”   
  
“You’re despicable.” Tim hissed.   
  
“Whatever, Ducky.” Jason shot back. “See you there.”   
  
\---   
  
Despite his teasing, Jason made sure to be fashionably late. Mainly because he wanted to see Tim twitch. What he wasn’t expecting was the gobsmacked expression as he approached their table to find Tim dressed more casually than him in a dark red cashmere sweater over an oxford white shirt.   
  
“Wow you--you look great. Really great.” Tim said before blushing.   
  
Jason grinned at that and took a seat. “Well I wouldn’t want to disappoint  _ the  _ Timothy Drake.”    
  
Tim blinked and seemed to shake off his temporary shock before he held up a single peony. “I-ah-they say that the peony is a symbol of romantic love between strangers. It seemed appropriate?”   
  
Jason accepted the flower with a smile and held it close to his nose to enjoy its perfume. “It’s lovely. Thank you.”   
  
Tim smiled back and lifted his menu. “So...I know you mentioned paella, but I’m told the  _ patatas bravas _ aren’t to be missed. Would you like to share some as a starter?”   
  
“Sure.” Jason said. “I’d love to.”   
  
\---   
  
Unfortunately for Tim, and perhaps for Jason as well, Anneliese didn’t take the hint at first. She kept trying to convince Tim that he was just ‘going through a phase’ while regaling him with tales of her own time exploring her sexuality with other women before her family made it clear she was expected to marry and produce an heir. Timothy almost sympathized with her. Almost.   
  
After all, he’d been raised with those same expectations. But he had no place in his life for someone as clingy as the determined would-be paramour. And if it weren’t for the fact her family had a multi-million dollar deal in the works with Wayne Enterprises he’d be a lot more vicious about shooting her down.   
  
He and Jason had to go one more and more ‘dates’ to get her to back off. And at some point Jason came to the realization that he was actually enjoying his time with Tim. Sure he was playing the part of ‘James’ the entire time; doing sappy little things like calling Tim ‘Ducky’ and hand feeding him like the baby bird he was; but Tim was just himself. A slightly more polite society version of himself, but still himself. Jason started learning all sorts of things he hadn’t known before and slowly but surely more and more of Jason’s actual personality started leaking into their conversations.   
  
By the time the merger was done and Tim could safely shoot Anneliese down they’d gotten so used to the dates that they just kept going...and going...and going right up to the point that the woman finally set her sights on someone else.    
  
Jason wasn’t sure how to feel about it when Tim texted him the headline from the local gossip rag saying she’d been spotted on several dates with one of the Dumond heirs. On the one hand, mission successful, but on the other...on the other hand he’d somehow become attached. While he was happy he could give up the cover of James and his slightly stuffy style, he didn’t want to give up Tim. He enjoyed his time with his ‘Ducky’ and he didn’t want to give that up.   
  
But if Tim was texting him the headline surely that was a sign he was finally ready to drop the charade. To--to drop him. Jason had to fight the sudden urge to fling the phone against the wall. It wouldn’t help and he’d be stuck repairing the drywall.   
  
He damn near did it anyway when the phone suddenly began blaring:   
  
_ Daring duck of mystery _

_ Champion of right _

_ Swoops out of the shadows _

Jason fumbled the phone but managed to salvage it before it crashed to the ground. “H-hello?”   
  
Tim took a moment to speak and Jason could easily picture him biting his bottom lip as he tried to work out precisely what he wanted to say.   
  
“So--uh--feel free to shoot me down or whatever but...I was thinking.”   
  
“Yeah?” Jason asked. “What about?”   
  
“Well--I don’t know about you but well...I was kind of enjoying the fake dating thing. And well...would you like to go out again this Saturday? I could get us a seat at Manchego’s.”   
  
Jason swallowed a lump in his throat as he was torn between doing a jig and fighting the yawning pit of doubt that threatened to open up under him at any moment now.   
  
“Are you asking me or James?” Jason asked. Because ultimately that was the rub. Sure bits and pieces of Jason had leaked into the performance, but that’s all it really was in the end. A performance. The real Jason wasn’t quite that sappy.   
  
“I’m asking  _ you _ .” Tim stressed. “I want--I want to know the real you. The you I could see peeking out under the syrupy smile. The you that damn near threw a basket of Brazilian cheese bread in my face because I said Tolkien was better than Austen.”   
  
“And you’d have earned it because you’re so totally wrong.” Jason grumped.   
  
Tim chuckled. “We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one, but the point is...I got to see a few glimpses of the real you Jason. And well--I want to see more. If you’re willing?”   
  
Jason dropped heavily onto the sofa as a wave of relief swept through him. It was so all encompassing he damn near screwed his chance.   
  
“You’re not saying anything.” Tim murmured. “I--I made you uncomfortable. I shouldn’t have asked. You can just forget--”   
  
“NO!” Jason yelped. “I mean yes! I mean yes!”   
  
“Yes?” Tim asked, voice soft and full of hope.   
  
“Yeah.” Jason said, letting out a small laugh. “I’d love to go out with you...but not Manchego’s. The food is awesome and all, but that hoity toity atmosphere damn near gives me hives.”   
  
Tim laughed a little in agreement. “Yeah. I feel you. How about we just go to that little mom and pop place on Lovelace? Bossa Nova? They’re supposed to have some really good  _ croquetas _ .” _  
_ _  
_ “Or we could just hit up Tony’s for chili cheese dogs before we head to the pier and just--talk.” Jason suggested.   
  
“That sounds perfect actually.” Tim said. “See you this Saturday?”   
  
:”Yeah.” Jason said with a grin and affection blooming in his heart. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world...Ducky.”   
  


**Author's Note:**

> Just in case you're wondering...yes. 
> 
> Yes, Jason chose "Romero" as in "John Romero" as an inside zombie joke. 
> 
> Yes, he started calling Tim Ducky as in Daffy Duck because of the "You're despicable." comment.
> 
> And yes that is the "Darkwing Duck" theme song he used as Timmy's ringtone.


End file.
